If Philadelphia Phillies want to keep All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, they will reportedly have to break the bank to do so. According to multiple reports, Realmuto is asking for a $200 million deal, which would be a record contract for the position.
The current record-holder is retired catcher Joe Mauer, who got $184 million from Minnesota Twins in 2010.
Considering that Realmuto emerged as one of the best catchers in baseball in recent years, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets the contract he seeks for. But there are bigger chances that he’ll get it on the open market than in Philadelphia.
Phillies reportedly made resigning J.T. Realmuto their No. 1 priority this offseason, which isn’t a surprise considering the package that they sent to Miami Marlins in 2019 in order to get him. However, Realmuto’s huge salary demands and financial concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic made the organization less optimistic about getting the deal done.
“Can you tell me what the governor and the mayor of Philadelphia are going to allow us to have next year in the way of fans?”, recently said Phillies’ managing partner John Middleton when asked about re-signing Realmuto. “Because if you do, you know something that I don’t. So I have no idea what we’re going to be allowed. Obviously, that will determine our revenues, and revenues determine what you can do and what you can’t do.”
Several teams have been mentioned as Realmuto’s potential suitors this offseason, with New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals looking like the most probably options if the Phillies drop out of the race.
Realmuto made his MLB debut in 2014 and has since made two All-Star appearances and won two Silver Slugger Awards and one Golden Glove Award. The 29-year-old catcher has a .278 batting average with 95 home runs and 358 RBIs.
